Michael Waltrip Racing announces contract extensions with David Reutimann, sponsor Aaron’s
Jeff Gordon congratulates David Reutimann on winning David Reutimann wins the NASCAR Sprint Cup Lifelock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway Saturday. // Sam Cranston, NASCAR Illustrated
INDIANAPOLIS – David Reutimann, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ most recent race winner, has signed a contract extension to remain the driver of Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 00 Toyota through 2012.
Team officials made the announcement Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It was also announced that primary sponsor Aaron’s would add six races to this year’s schedule, bringing the total to 30, and that the company would remain with the team through the 2012 season, providing funding for 30 races in each of the next two seasons as well.
“It’s a phenomenal deal,” said Reutimann, who won the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicago two week ago. “From the time I started driving for Michael Waltrip Racing, Aaron’s has been the sponsor. … That’s the one constant. Ken [Butler, COO] and those guys don’t like to do things like everyone else. They could have gotten a guy right out of high school; instead they were willing to take a chance on a guy that was slightly older than that. Just slightly.”
Reutimann, 40, is 15th in the point standings heading into Sunday’s Brickyard 400. It will be his 119th career start in the series. In addition to his Chicago win, he has posted top-five finishes at Daytona, Dover and Charlotte this year.
He is 96 points out of Chase contention with seven races remaining before the 12-team field is determined.
“I’ve never had a sponsor that’s gotten behind me through both bad times and good [like Aaron’s],” he said. “We cannot do this program without them. To have a sponsor that really gets what this is about … and I’m not saying anything against anyone else’s sponsors, there are a lot of great sponsors out there – but as far as when you come in the garage, we’ve got the best in the business.”
